Hand-operated horn.



D.. A. McCONNELL. HAND OPERATED HORN.

' APPLICATION FILED APR-24.19%.

. Patented Dec. 17,1918

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

D. A. MCCONNELL.

HAND OPERATED HORN.

' APPLICATION EILED APR. 24. 19l5.

1,288,080. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

IIIIIIVIIIIIIIIIIIIJI'IIII"I" T UNGAN A. JJICCQNNELL, GL3 ARLINGTON, NIEN JERSEY, ASSIGNQR T0 LOVELL- M0001}? NELL MAh lTFAGTURIEQ'G QQMEANY, 03? NEVABK, NEW JERSEY, A COR- application filed April 24, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may] concern:

Be it known that 1, Duncan A. MCCON- NELL, a citizen of the 'United States, and resident of Arlington, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Operated Horns, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention was designed primarily as an improvement .in my prior hand operated horn shown in my Patent No. 1,232,583 (application filed December 8th, 1914) but certain features of the invention are applicable to specifically different horns of thesame type, as for instance, those shown in Patents Nos. 1,090,080., applied for September 30, 1910, 1,153,53l. applied for September 1911i, 1,180,524, applied for February 9, 191i, 1,2260% applied for DC61U- her 16, 1010. 1,232,579, applied for December 29, 1910, 1,239,426, applied for October 12, 1915 and 1,242,957, applied for August 23, 1'913.

Horns of this type are operated by pushing upon a plunger provided with a rack bar engaging a pinion adapted to drive a rotor provided with projections adapted to vibrate a diaphragm to produce the desired sound. The plunger is returned to initial position by means of a spring and the mechanism is provided with a ratchet or other slip connection so that the return movement of the plunger does not reverse the direction of rotation of the cam.

In all or" these horns, the plunger reciprocates at right angles to the axis of the horn, and since. under normal conditions, the axis of the horn must be horizontal in order to project the sound horizontally, it has been the usual practice to arrange the plunger to reciprocate vertically-through the top of so casing and to operate it by downward of the hand. This down stroke on is assisted by gravity and for this recs n has been universally adapted in horns of this type, one llllllifit following another without. giv further thought to the subject. l have discorered,' however, that in actual practice this arrangement has objections which can be avoided my present invention.

One objection that in ordinary practi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Serial No. 23,547.

cal use of these devices, it frequently occurs that the weight of the hand even assisted by considerable muscular pressure is insufiicient to start rotation of the mechanism, as for instance, where the mechanism is permitted to become rusty, dirty or unoiled or where the rotor happens to stop with one of the inclined or ratchet faceswedged against the wearpiece on the diaphragm.

Moreover, it is characteristic even of well oiled instruments that they require far more power to start them and force the first tooth of the rotor past the diaphragm projection than is required to keep them going after they are once started. Hence, in practice, the operator in order to be certain of producing an emergency warning signal, must always strike the plunger a blow powerful enough to certainly operate it even if the rotor does happen to be wedged or the operating mcchanisn'i disordered. In this situation, I have discovered that in the case of the vertical plunger, the power available by ransverse downward movement of the hand and forearm pivoting at the elbow, is frequently inefi'e'ctive even though assisted by gravity. Moreover, the muscular efi'ort required to continue the downward movement "fully adequate to all conditions can e applied with almost no conscious efi'ort on the part of the operator.

Another objection to the vertical. plunger is that the natural downward curl of the fingers or" the operator naturally bring them in contact with the top of the casebefore the down stroke is completed, thereby shortening the stroke and injuring the fingers. increasing the vertical height of the plunger enough to prevent this, is so objectionable for other reasons that it is never attempted in practice. I have obviated thi s -difiicul$y by arranging the'plunger in a pos tion where he fingers will not contact with the case even if'erookeel lo or beyond a right angle to the pile of the liencl.

Another objection is that; these plun e'ers seldom-fit the slide opening in the casing "llll suiiicient accuracy to maize a water right joint, and where the opening is in a top surface of the casing, Water falling on the horn eiil'ier during: rain or washing of the vehicle finds its "way in gra'viiy into the interior of the casing. I avoid this objection simultaneously with the others, by arranging the 'ilungxer uml ill; slide opening horizontally in ii vertical wall of the casing.

Cine object of my invention is to obviate all oi the above (liiiiculties and to secure the above advantages by reorganizing llie ope/37in li e n'ioclianism so ilnil' while maintaining ilie required r elnlion oi, ilie actuating roior in l'i'F; diaphragm, i m at the same time arrange the rack linr plunger parallel with the a, is oi the horn :iml proicciing horizontally tirongi li ihe i'erlicul rear wall 0 3 line case, preferably well above ilie horizontal diameter of will will and preferably near enough to the periphery so that croolieil lingers will puss freely ulioi'e ilze casing but preferably Em! so near lmi that the linmiengngin piece on the plunger will lie renrwzmlly wiinin the PiQlilCi'iHl area of said end well. Thus arranged there is no opportunity for water to iiow by gravity through the plunger Slide opening; the operator has the aijlvantnge tiiet llio lllOW being horizontal and delivered with the im'czu'nisubstantially in zilinement viii: ilie direction of ilic view, the initial impzici of his lmml has behind it the eniire emlwise imiineninm of his forearm ins-lend of the trimm'criee monn'anlum oi" the lillml alone; tile follow-up effort/required to accelerate illfi movement: of the plunger to liigli so all ilio easy powerful movement similar to what is known {1H ilie short arm job of the boxer or nigilisi; and there will ize-no {)OFESMI of croolwfl fingers being injui'ecl or preveniline :1 full sirokc of the plunger 1311 actual preci'ice. the inmnentuin zulviuiinge end all, power advantage are both so than: verv lilile conecious eiieri is required in opereie my horizontal olnr it even Alien 'flie nieceaniem is unoilml or civilly were.

A. further object oi an}; ini'e'i'ition is to clncoil lilo size of tire cu and increase ilie lie rotor suljislnniii v in their liini'cs boil; the clriinielier and length of tlie casing may be only slight gX'QZlt BE' ilizm iii-2 \iilUHGilGlI of illli, Various etiiempls lie-Ye been made to iscoure this desired largo slide of rotor nnil iliili'mll is'lflle of easing. bill llie ro'ior lie zi'ionniell in the plane of a linmel er oi the ceasing, tlic reciprocating memhas come eiilier ni; one siclc of a vertical i'lian'ieicr or lias come in the rear of the back (lllffi of line rotor. Tlie'i i obiectionable because of l iien- :ylii.cli'i :iil ZEQPGilZ'llIlCE mee oeo and. the tendency to twist or loosen the horn when pressure is applied to the plunger in sounding it, enzl the lnfiter necessitates an ol'ijecliionnble increase in ilie length of the casing. By means of my inventioi'nl am able to secure a rotor of the largest possible diameter mounted in the plane of n diameter of tlie casing, which casing is of snlisiuniinlly the same length is li-lie diameter of the rotor, and ii the same time the reciprocating plunger member lies in the vertical plane of the 2126s of lhe horn.

The preferrecl embodiment ofmy invention includes various features of importance wh ch will be set forth more fully herein- ;fiier and more particularly poiniecl 0min the claims, but among iliese are the arrange ment of parts wherein, the rotor and tile multiplying v gearing may be adjusted toward and from the diaphragm. wilhout. disturbing the operative relationship of the reciprocating member and without necessitating increase in the size of the opening in the casing and. through wh ch the said reciproeating member moves.

The rotor and multiplyin gaming preferably carriecl by a bracket s'uspencieil from and ailjustablealong the topwall of 1313 casing and another impel .it feature of my invention resides in lzlie means emoleyeal for transmitting to emi Wall of the easing the strain imperial to eaicl member, The Saki bracket is preferably of eeea metal, and as a furlilier important feature of in invention, so design tile-parts ma ling serves not only siieperi. roery ancl reciprocating;-memeers but serves as en oil cup for 1 e lubrication of the movable par-iii,

As further important feaYt-uEe-ef my in- 1i h reierenee characters lllilll' n spoilling; parts in line several 111??4'3 ii in i 'liown one inch emeoilnnent'altliougn ii; -i of; course uncle"- time various chain "may inecle within the s'pirii of my ini'e lion and without leparting from llie scope of "the appended claims. In tifiese drawings,

Figure l. is a side elevation of a horn con- S'U'UCllf Il iii accorcience wiili my invention, a

Oil that ems is rely iilnelrative mil- The and rear diaphragm casing members 11 and 12, the said flanges being-preferably spaced from the diaphragm by thin washers of cork, pasteboard or other suitable material and held in the desired assembled relationship by an annular series of bolts or screws 13. The front diaphragm casing 11 has a large central opening at which is secured the base of the resonator 14,'and the diaphragm has at its center a suitable wear-piece 15 with which the diaphragm vibrating mechanismengages. The rear casing member 12 is in the form of a sheet metal cup havin a cylindrical wall 16 formed integral with the diaphragmclamping flange at one end and integral with a rear end -walll"! at the op posite end. This cup-shaped casing is thus closed at its open end by the diaphragm and incloses a chamber within which the diaphragmvibrating mechanism is supported.

described has been employed heretofore in other forms of horns.

For su rtin the 0 eratin arts,1 )rovide a metiil b'ragket me ni ber 18 and lens ndthis from the upper side of the perip 'era-l wall of the casing. The supporting and suspending means is preferably in the form of two screws-19, l9, threaded into the upper side of the bracket and extendin v through openings or slots in the peripheral wall of slightly greater length than the diameter of thescrews but smaller than the screw heads so that the said openings are always covered by the screw heads but the hiacket may be adjusted to a limited extent lengthwise of the casing andtoward and angle to the plane of the diaphragm. .In.

from the diaphragm. The bracket has a cylindrical extension 20 projecting through an opening'inthe end wall 17 at a point in the center and the periphe :11 wall. This extension or boss has a horizontal passage therethrough to receive the reciprocating actuatlng'inember 21 and permits of the latter moving back and forth in a direction at an order to effectively support the bracket, resist the tendency to move toward the diaphragm under the strain of a pressure on the actuating member, and to form'a substantially air-tight closure. I provide a hut.

22'which'is not only i'nteriorly threaded to neral arrangement of parts so far screw on the extension or bOSQ 20, but also .eitteriorly threaded to screw into the aperture in the end wall. The interior and exterior threads on this nut are of diii'erent pitch so that when screwed in or out, the bracket "0 and. rotor are adjusted to or from the diaphragm an amount equal to the difference in pitch of the two threads. When the two clamping screws 19, 19, are tightened, the

nut will automatically become locked and thus no lock nut or other locking means need be em loyed. The nut preferably has an outer milled or non-cylindrical end by means of which it may be tightened. tothe desired extent. 8.0

The reciprocating plunger member 21 is,

as previously indicated, mounted in the plane of the vertical diameter ofthe casing and the wear-piece on the diaphragm is also in this same plane. phragm, I provide a rotor 2-l having a peripheral series of cams. teeth, or projections, for engagement with the wear-piece. This rotor is of a diameter closely approximating Forvibrating the diathe internal diameter of the casing and its plane of rotation substantially coincides with a diametric plane of the casing. in order to bring the rotor into the proper posi- -tion in. respect to the wear-piece, I screw the parts so that the center of the rotor- 18 and is held against endwise. movement in any suitable manner. Preferably there is provided a bushii'ig 26 at the higher end of the shaft and this end is threaded and receives a suitable washer and nut, or pair of nuts, or other retaining means. The rotor is mounted upon the. lower end of the shaft and is preferably dished toward the bracket, and is rigidly secured to a collar 27 of greater length than the thickness of the washer and oi a length corresponding to the amount of dishing of the rotor so as to provide a bearing of suitable length and prevent tendency of the rotor to \vabble as the bearing wears. The collar and rotor are free to rotate in one direction in respect to the shaft, rotation in the opposite direction being prevented by a spring-pressed pawl '28 carried by the face of the rotor and engaging with a ratchet wheel 29 mounted on the lower end of the shaft and locked against rotation in respect .to the latter.

, For rotating the shaft upon a reciprocation of the actuating member 2-1, I provide iii] the said actuating member with teeth 30 so erably I secure an increased speed of the rotor in respect to a. given movement oi the actuating member by providing an interposed member including a pinion iidmeshing with the rack bar end a. larger pinion or gear Wheel rigid with the pinion 3-iund meshing with the pinion For economy in manufactureand to simplify the assembling, the pinion 34 may be formed from a section of a bar provided with a peripheral series of longitudinally extending grooves ennd drilled to receive and rotate upon a shaft 36 in the form of a screw supported at both ends in the bracket and threaded at one end to hold it in place. The gear 35 licdrii ien 'on to one end of this bar section and slightly swaged or distorted to prevent it from rotating in respect to the her section constituting the pinion, as is clearly shown 29 in Figs. 1 and 3. By means of this incoheuisin, an inward exidwise movement. or" the.

actuating member 21 transmits power to the rotor to porc ne the hitter in one direction jihrough ifiie medium of the-orher parts 25 '35, 31, 9 and 28... The actuating! member may return without a return rotation. of the rotor hy'e slipping of the pawl ver the. ratchet wheel This rack bar is shown as being square in cross section so {o be 3 prevented from rotation about its own axis and so as io hold the ieeth all all times in proper relationship with me pinion ith Whichit engages. It is of course evident that any other means iiiighb be. provided for preventing the rotation of the rack her.

To facilitate the return mow nerd" oi the actuating; member and to limit iihis return movement, I prof-ride a. stop in rhe form of a screw 40 threaded ital-o the end of the 49 actuating member and of larger diameter than said member and adapted to abut agzrinsi the shoulder oi the bracket. coil spring 41 in axial ulineinenl. will: the actuairing; member abuts against this screw and 45 cijiniinueily tends to force. the ucinziiinp; member outwardly. The spring is inclosed within in tubular casing member which. is spirally threaded and screwed into the breaker. so esixo be rigid with the letter. 59 An outer end wall. or my other suitable stop at. the end of this tubular casing adjeccnic to lhe diaphragm may support and retain the other end of rho spring. The screw 40 cannot become disengaged from ihc rocip-rocatiug; ineml'zer without moving toward the spring! and against (he tension of ihe latter and therefore the spring; uol only eerves to return the reciprocating member. but ore'vcnls {fhc screw or slop 40 from loosening.

To feciliinl'c lhe luhriculion o'l lZliQ oin-rs. the hrackci. which, as previously sinful. ie in the form of a CflSi-li'lfi. has an oil chamber in rho upper side. thereof directly benee zh the top Wall oflhe cnsinu 22ml closed erubly I employ the specific bracket shown stantiully ilehiipe and having a base 50 end respond ieee oeo by the letter; Gil passages 4i} and i? lead from this chamber to points edjaceiibthe hearings of the rotating parts. Uil may be admitted to the oil chamber d5 through an oil inlet nornmlly. closed by any suitable iorinoi valve l The horn may be secured to a vehicle or to any otl'iereupporting structure by various brackets heieiofore employed although prefwhich includes a metal strap bent to subuptu'rned ends 51 and 52. One-of these ends may be secured to the diaphragm clamping portion by the same bolts or screws which hold the diaphragm casing parts together, or by separate liolts'or ecrqois while the 3 other upturned end 52 may bef astenedto the end Wall 17 of the casing by aiuitablc hole; or screw 53. The base member 50 be secured to the supporting structure in any:

suitable manner, not shown, and may be either flat, curved, or otherwise bent, to "corto the surface of the supporting; structure. When used for the primary purpose for which if was originally invented namely as a. warning signal on automobiles, trucks, etc. it should be secured Withitsaxis horizontal and its mouth-piece forwardly di-' rccted. In such position, it will have" all oi. the advantages first above mentioned but it is obvious that it may be secured to sup pores other than vehicles and maybe: need for purposes other than warning andmay be secured in position other than thotfor which it was designed, such other ages and positions involving only sacrifice of some or the said advantages. 3

in wherei'er position used, the instrument- .19

a whole will be substantially immune from ordinary blows directed lengthwise or the instrument, as contrasted with eheeid insrrun'ient in which lengthwise increments "giii) catch the plunger trunsverselyy whil e in? verse movements cutclrthe 'iiwuif ihififlflor resonator transversely. m

Having thus described myfig vc ntioh, What. I claim as new and desire to seciire loy Lelr ters Patenl' is: I

1. An alarm or signaling device including a diuphregnu a casing extending rcarwardly thereof, including a peripheral Wall parallel with the 'fzxis of ihodiaphragm and a verl'icnl end "all. in combination with manu- I20 ally actuated means foriinechanicully vibrating Quid diaphragm, said means including a rotor provided with diaphragmengaging-projections. a plunger reciprocating substantially lengthwise of the device, ex- 125 lending rearwardlw through said vertical end Wall and provided at its rear end with an exterior hand "piece whereby it may beinammllyi'orced forward toward the dia phrngin, a. spring "for returning the plunger 36 to initial position and meansv fora a ncense toinitial position and means for applying the manually-forced,forward movement of the plunger to revolve Stild l'OtOl, the locatlon and size of the parts being such that said hand piece lies Wholly W thin the reartical end wall, in vcoinloiimtim'i with manually actuated means for mechanically yibrating sa1d diaphragm, said. means including a rotor prov ded with clia 'ihragin engaglng projections, a plunger reciprocating substantially lengthwise of the devi e extending rearwardly through vertica end Wall and provided at its rear end Wit an exterior hand piece whereby it may manually forced forward toward the l 1 phragm, a spring for returning pi the manually-forced, forward nioveinenthe plunger to revolve said rotor, the l tion and size. of the parts being si t U peripheral edge of said hand piece is proximately in alinenient with said ripheral Wall while the remainder of handpiece lies Wholly Within the rear projected cross section of said Wall.

An alarm or signaling (llBiZlCP- including a diaphragm, a casing" extending rear wardly thereof, including a peripheral wall parallel with the axis of the diaphragm and a vertical end Wall, in combination with manually actuated means for mechanically vibrating said diaphragm, said nieans'iin eluding a rotor provided with diaphragm engagingprojections, a reciprocating plunger arranged substantially parallel approximately miday between axis and said peripheral Wall extendingrearwardly through said vertical end Wall and pr lClfiCl at its rear end with an exterior hand piece whereby it may be manually forced forward toward the diaphragm, spring for return; ing the plunger to initial position and means for applying" the-n1anually-ferced, forward movement of the plungerto revolve said rotor.

4. An alarm or signaling device including a diaphragm, a casing extending rearwardly thereof, includin a peripheral wall parallel with the axis of the diaphragm and a yer tical end wall, in combination with manually actuated means for mechanically vibrating said diaphragm, said means including rotor provided with diaphragm engaging prre ject-ions, reciprocating plunger snhstantially parallel with said axis lying heti'vecn the axis and said'peripheral Wall, projecting through saidreas wall and provided with a hand piece of a diameter suilicient to bring I edge in appr-c an edge portion of said hand piece approximately in alinement with a portion of said peripheral Wall, a spring for returning said plunger to the initial position, and means for applying the manually-forced, forward movement of the plunger to revolve said rotor;

5. An alarm or signaling device including a diaphragm, a casing extending rearw ardly thereof including a peripheral Wall parallel with the axis or" the diaphragm and an end Wall transverse to said axis, a bracket on. one side of said casing whereby the device may be mounted with its axis in a horizont-al plane, in combination with manually ac-- tuated means for mechanically vibrating said diaphragm, said means including a retor having diaphragm engaging projections, a reciprocating plunger in operative relation with said rotor, tending tln'oughsaid rear wallsuhstantially parallel with said axis but adjacent to said peripheral wall on the upper side above said bracket.

An alarm or signaling device including a diaphragm, a casing extending rearwardly thereof including a peripheral Wall parallel ith the axis of the diaphragm and. a ver-, ical and Wall, iii-combination with manually ated. means for mechanically vibrating said diaphragm, said means including a ro- 1'0? located within the casingiand provided "with diaphragm engaging projections, a rec eating plunger located eccentric to but coating approximately parallel with is-and said peripheral Wall and eX- 109 through said vertical rear Wall at wiles thereto and provided at its rear exterior handpi ece whereby it manually forced forward towar initial position, and means for manually forced, forward ';l.e plungerto revolve said rotor, togeth eans-for mounting said device with KS horizontal and said hand 110 piece rearwaiolji directed with its upper imate aliueme nt with anti}:-

portion of said peripheral Wall.

E. An alarm or signaling'device including a vihratcrvsound producing; member, a substantially cylindrical casing secured thereto, a rotor Within said casing and disposed subin an inclined cliametrical plane of casing, an actuating iuemhei extending into said casing through tlie'end well there 12o elf and movable tor-rard and from the diaphragm r" h its disposed in the same ie'i'tical cliametrical plane of said casing, with a diameter oi said rotor normal to said diaphragm and transmitting mechaaragm, a spring for returning the 105 wall, a bracket secured to the peripheral Willi andndjustablo toward and from said diopnrng'm, a rotor carried by said bracket for vibrating said diaphragm, a rack bar mov a rack bar movable throiigh said and Wall for rotating said rotor, and. means for curing said bracket to said and Wail, said means including a threaded boss integral with said bracket and projecting through said and wall and a collar internally thread ed on said boss and externally threaded with-- in said end wall, the threads upon the interior and exterior of said collar being of different )itoli.

10. 1-711 alarm or signaling device, including a diaphragzms casing including a peripheral wall and an and wall, a bracket secured. to one of said Walls and having an externally threaded boss projecting through the other wall, an externally and internally threaded nut mounted on said boss and engaging with said last msntioned Wall, a rotor within said casing for vibrating said dis phragm, an actuating member extending through said boss, and power transmitting mochanisn'i for rotating; said rotor upon an endwise movement of said actuating member.

11. An alarm or signaling'dovice including a diaphragm, a casing secured thereto, a bracket within said casing, :1 shaft carried by said bracket, a rotor carried by said shaft for vibratin said diaphragm, a rack bar movableemfwiso toward said diaphragm, and sup/ported by said bracket, UL stop cara bracket within said casing, a shaft c: by said bracket, a rotor osrried by said shaft .ing a diaphragm, a casing secured t riod by said rack bar f r iimiting the s: wiss inovsii'lsnt of said rook bar, and s spring for forcing said rack bar in one direrriorn,

An slzirrn or signaling clerics incl'od ing a diaphragm, a casing secured tnqroto, irried for vibrstini said diaphragm, a rack bar movablo snawise toward aid diafihrs gm,

and supporlved bywssid bliidnlet, a stop tried by said rsclr bar for limiting its k nd" wise movement of said rsok b r, and a spring for forcing said rook bar in one direction, said spring being disposed in sxisi aiinemont with said rash bar and engaging 'Witl'i said stop.

13. An alarm or signaling device melodbracket within said casing, a shaft csrrisci by said bracket, a rotor carried by said shs it for vibratiog said diaphragm, a rack bar movable ondwise toward said diziphrsrm and supported by said bracket, a stop csrrisd by said rack bar for limiting this snclwiss movement of said rack bar, a, spring for forcing said rack bar in one direction, and a tubular casing secured to said braoiaot inoiosing said spring and projecting ti said diaphragn I 7 14. An alarm or signaling dsvice inoluding a diaphragm, a casing secured thereto, 21

bracket within said casing and supported from the upper all thereof, a moi-r bar YO-n goofing-through the Wail of the casing guided by said braoltet, spring for so? April, A. D. i915.

JUNGAH A. MsSONNElJ-L, i fitnessss:

Gm rs, l.-. moss, i. Vows, 

